Try our newest merchandise
Ollech & Wajs is a model that’s not lined all that always. There may be a lot to love, although, when one begins to research the model’s historical past in addition to its present choices. Certainly, it’s a model that resonates with me. One thing about Ollech & Wajs’s no-nonsense tool-watch designs and wealthy previous makes for a compelling combine.
The corporate has historical past of manufacturing device watches that have been typically liked by troopers, divers, and adventurers. I just lately reviewed the C-1000 A, a contemporary rendition of the traditional Caribbean 1000 dive watch.
The fashionable Ollech & Wajs C-1000 A
The model was based in 1956 by Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs. It’s unbelievable to assume that simply eight years later, in 1964, Ollech & Wajs would go on to introduce the Caribbean 1000. This was a watch that had an authorized depth score of 1,000 meters.
An unique Ollech & Wajs Caribbean 1000 — Picture: Analog:Shift
The Ollech & Wajs Caribbean 1000
Ollech & Wajs’s trendy designs haven’t all the time hit exhausting with me. One thing concerning the handsets appeared a bit of obtuse at occasions. Then, just lately, the model launched an homage to its unique over-specced dive watch, the Caribbean 1000.
Credit score: Ollech & Wajs
When it debuted in 1964, the Caribbean 1000 had a monobloc case that was capable of go 700 meters (!) deeper than the Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster 300. In fact, each Rolex and Omega would introduce their deep divers not lengthy after with the Sea-Dweller (1967) and PloProf (1971). It also needs to be famous that Doxa had the Sub 300T Conquistador, which had a helium escape valve, in 1969. The design was a little bit of a coup for plucky Ollech & Wajs.
Picture: Ollech & Wajs
A joint effort between Jenny and Ollech & Wajs
Because the title suggests, the Caribbean 1000 was a dive watch able to withstanding water stress to 1,000 meters. This was not technically the primary watch to attain the feat, although, as that honor goes to the Jenny Caribbean (1963). As you possibly can see in among the commercials of the Ollech & Wajs of the period, the Jenny fish emblem is current. Ollech & Wajs teamed up with Jenny, utilizing the reference 702 case for the Caribbean.
Picture: Ollech & Wajs
These weren’t significantly well-known watch firms on the time. Nevertheless, they labored alongside one another to fabricate a monobloc case able to withstanding stress to a full kilometer underwater. Ollech & Wajs secured the reference 702 case underneath license to supply the Caribbean 1000. These early watches housed an ETA 2452 automated caliber and a black dial front-loaded into the case. In addition they had a 5mm domed acrylic crystal. Jenny, it ought to be acknowledged, is the present proprietor of Doxa, so it’s nonetheless fairly an necessary family-owned participant within the Swiss watch market.
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
Italian divers resolve to go to the Arctic
This extremely rugged dive watch was a becoming alternative, then, for hardcore early Nineteen Sixties adventurers who wished one thing with a bit of additional technical functionality. One such adventurer was the Italian underwater photographer Roberto Dei. He had already made a reputation for himself within the diving group along with his groundbreaking approaches to underwater movie images. He was generally featured within the Italian dive publication Mondo Sommerso.
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
The aim of the expedition was to {photograph} polar bears of their pure setting and assess the bodily results of the Arctic waters on divers. All of the divers had at their disposal was regular-production scuba gear.
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
The Italian expedition
The explanations for taking the Ollech & Wajs Caribbean 1000 on this troublesome expedition are unknown, nevertheless it is sensible that divers would need probably the most strong device obtainable to them in these situations. A 1,000m-rated dive watch will need to have appeared like a groundbreaking technical achievement to the crew on the time. An extra technical problem that the watch would encounter was the sub-zero temperatures, which may wreak havoc on gaskets and seals. Fortunately, no studies of water ingress into the watches have been ever reported.
Picture: Sea Museum
Roberto Dei had dived in troublesome situations earlier than, however he’d accomplished nothing this harmful. His colder dives had included lakes within the north of Italy, which may have ice soften. The expedition traveled to the check websites aboard a specialised icebreaker vessel. Dei took with him two Rolleimarin cameras encased in immense housings, permitting for underwater images. They’re fantastic contraptions, and you may see an instance of 1 above.
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
The expertise of scuba diving within the Arctic
In an account, Dei recalled his expertise plunging into the darkish, freezing ocean. He recounted his concern concerning the impact the freezing ocean would have on his inner organs. It was a widely known proven fact that the chilly waters of the Arctic may shortly flip lethal. A examine by the Central Intelligence Company had estimated that somebody uncovered to Arctic waters may perish in lower than two minutes if not carrying acceptable protecting gear.
Dei was diving in not far more than two 5mm neoprene wetsuits stacked on prime of each other, a considerably crude however efficient technique of offering further heat within the excessive setting. In his account, Dei notes that he was not stunned by how darkish it was beneath the floor of the ice. In numerous areas, the pack ice was greater than 5 meters thick, so it acted like an enormous impediment to any gentle penetrating beneath the water’s floor. The place the pack ice allowed for the penetration of daylight, Dei mentioned it could come by way of just like the “shards of sunshine flooding into an exquisite cathedral.”
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
The hazard of polar bears
Apparently, the Ollech & Wajs Caribbean 1000 got here out of the expedition unscathed. It had helped maintain the divers secure as they’d to make use of the watches to verify they’d solely keep underneath for a most of 28 minutes. This had been established as absolutely the restrict earlier than as a result of any longer would improve the possibilities of frostbite and the confusion related to hypothermia, an unlimited danger in a technical pursuit like diving. Inside 20 minutes of beginning his dive, Dei may not really feel his palms and was experiencing horrible tooth ache. He surfaced due to the numbness in his extremities, creating the chance of hypothermia.
Based on Dei, polar bears have been additionally a big hazard to the expedition members. Divers waddling to the water’s edge with their black neoprene fits appeared a bit of like seals and typically attracted undesirable consideration. Dei remembers seeing polar bears peering down on the divers from above the ice pack whereas he was diving beneath.
Picture: Mondo Sommerso
Concluding ideas
The Italians returned to Europe from the North Pole in August. Dei had taken a outstanding sequence of images, together with of the polar bears. As a part of the expedition, Dei had been requested to offer a log of how the crew’s watches had carried out throughout the expedition. This included whether or not they have been adversely affected by the chilly waters. Although we don’t know for positive, it appears probably that Ollech & Wajs will need to have provided a number of watches if this type of information was being collected. Based on Ollech & Wajs, the expedition members have been proud of their timepieces.
It’s cool to make word of a few of these lesser-known tales within the watch world. What do you assume, Fratelli? Are there any manufacturers or explicit watch backstories you’d be fascinated with studying about? Tell us within the feedback.
